Beef Gorditas
Golden, pan-fried masa pockets filled with tender shredded braised beef, sharp queso and fresh coriander.
Gorditas are the cheeky cousin of tacos — thicker, pillowy masa pockets that hold a proper filling without falling apart. Here I braise brisket until it melts, then stuff it into quick pan-fried masa discs for something gloriously hand-held.
Make these for a relaxed supper, a weekend lunch or whenever you want Mexican comfort without faffing with deep frying. They crisp on the outside, stay tender inside, and love a squeeze of lime and a scatter of fresh coriander.
Ingredients
- 800 g beef brisket
- 80 ml vegetable oil — for browning and frying
- 1 brown onion — large, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves — peeled
- 2 dried ancho chillies
- 2 dried guajillo chillies
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml dried oregano
- 15 ml tomato purée
- 500 ml beef stock — hot
- 10 ml sea salt — total for meat, sauce and dough
- 5 ml black pepper
- 300 g masa harina — masa harina for tortillas
- 5 ml baking powder
- 340 ml water — warm, for dough and soaking chillies
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, for garnish
- 2 lime — cut into wedges
- 100 g crumbled queso fresco — optional, for filling
Equipment
- blender or hand blender
- ovenproof casserole (large)
- non-stick frying pan
- rolling pin or heavy-bottomed glass
- slotted spoon
Instructions
Toast the dried chillies briefly in a dry frying pan for 20–30 seconds each side until aromatic (do not burn). Place in a heatproof bowl and pour over 200 ml just-boiled water; leave to soak for 15 minutes.
Drain the chillies (reserve the soaking liquid). In a blender add the chillies, half the brown onion (roughly chopped), 2 garlic cloves, tomato purée, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano and 100 ml beef stock. Blend to a smooth sauce, adding a little reserved soaking liquid if too thick. Season with 1 tsp sea salt.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C conventional. Pat the beef brisket dry and season all over with 1 tsp sea salt and black pepper.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large ovenproof casserole over a medium-high hob. Brown the brisket on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side, using tongs so it colours evenly.
Pour the blended chilli sauce over the browned brisket, add the remaining beef stock to come about halfway up the meat, add the remaining chopped onion and the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 120 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and shreds easily.
Remove the casserole from the oven. Transfer the brisket to a board and shred with two forks. Return the cooking liquid to the hob and simmer for 8–10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavour; skim excess fat if necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
While the beef finishes, make the masa: in a mixing bowl combine masa harina, baking powder and 1⁄2 tsp sea salt. Stir in 1 tbsp vegetable oil and warm water a little at a time until a soft, pliable dough forms (it should feel like playdough, not sticky). Cover with a damp tea towel and rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the rested dough into 8 equal pieces (about 70–80 g each). Shape into balls, flatten to 1 cm thick patties with a rolling pin or by pressing between two pieces of baking paper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the base. Fry the patties for 3–4 minutes each side until puffed and golden, then gently split open with a sharp knife.
Fill each split gordita with shredded beef, spoon over some reduced sauce, scatter with fresh coriander and crumbled queso fresco if using. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
Tips
- If you don't have a blender, chop the softened chillies and blitz with a hand blender — scrape the blades often so the sauce becomes smooth.
- Resting the masa is critical — it hydrates the flour and prevents cracks when you split the gorditas.
- Make the beef a day ahead: it flavours up in the fridge and is easier to shred cold, then reheat gently in the reduced sauce.
- If the gorditas puff too quickly and the centre stays raw, lower the heat and cook a little longer so they cook through without burning.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a low oven 150°C fan/170°C conventional until warmed through to keep the masa texture.
Substitutions
beef brisket → chuck or blade beef, same quantity and braise time
Stays closecrumbled queso fresco → crumbled feta or grated mature cheddar, same quantity
Noticeably differentmasa harina → corn flour (nixtamalised) is not the same — best to use masa harina for authentic flavour and texture
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1050
- Calories
- 58 g
- Protein
- 59 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make gorditas ahead and reheat?
Yes — cook and cool the gorditas, store in the fridge up to 48 hours. Reheat in a low oven (150°C fan/170°C conventional) for 10–15 minutes so they crisp without drying.
My masa dough cracks when I flatten it. What went wrong?
It needs more hydration. Add warm water teaspoon by teaspoon until the dough is pliable and no longer cracks. Resting it under a damp towel also helps.
Can I use minced beef instead of braised brisket?
Yes — cook 600–700 g minced beef with the sauce until reduced; it’s quicker but the texture and depth of flavour will be different from shredded braise.
Why do I need masa harina specifically?
Masa harina is nixtamalised corn flour — it gives the characteristic flavour and texture for pliable, tender gorditas that corn flour alone won’t replicate.
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